David Lanz – Skyline Firedance

Just when you thought the folks at new age haven Narada couldn’t top 1990s Wilderness Collection and the Narada Nutcracker in terms of musical events, along came perhaps the year’s most ambitious and exquisite instrumental project from new age’s top star, the melodic, rhythmic super-pianist David Lanz. Having shown a mastery of the ivories on 1988s top genre release Cristofori’s Dream, Lanz entered the new decade determined to top even himself… what he has achieved is nothing short of a true musical miracle, a dynamic two CD (for the price of one) set featuring the same inspiring compositions performed as solo piano pieces and then with Munich’s IFS Philharmonic Orchestra. Similar to and influenced by David Foster’s The Symphony Sessions, this body of work cements Lanz’s status in new age, whether he likes the title or not. The collection’s finest moments find Lanz campaigning for world peace (“Dancing on the Berlin Wall,” “The Crane”) and covering the Moody Blues’ classical-rock gem “Nights in White Satin” to near orgasmic effect on the orchestral disc. Skyline Firedance is one of his best works, a modern musical masterpiece.